Abstract:
Conveyor, in particular for vegetable products, comprising a plurality of rotary support bodies (1,2,3,4, ) disposed in a linear arrangement and provided with respective rotating shafts (1b, 2b, 3b...), the axes of rotation (x) of which are parallel to each other and extend transversally relative to a common alignment axis (y), and which rotate in a synchronous manner and in the same direction so as to create, between each pair of contiguous bodies, respective conveyance stations, each one of which accommodates and carries a respective one of said vegetable products, wherein the shape of said rotary bodies is defined so as to orientate the vegetable product in a pre-defined direction into a respective position of stability with respect to said axes of rotation (x),- each one of said rotary bodies comprises a plurality of distinct disk-shaped members (11,12,13,14) that are disposed on respective parallel planes and press- fitted or shrink-fitted individually at a definite distance from each other on a same shaft (1b, 2b, 3b... ) orthogonally thereto, and at least one (12,13) of said disk-shaped members for each one of said rotary bodies features at least a first eccentric portion (6,7) that - as referred to other portions of the same disk-shaped member - protrudes from the respective common alignment axis. Preferably, said disk-shaped members are in the number of four and both inner disk-shaped members are provided with said eccentricities, which are in a preferably elliptical shape and are rotated relative to each other about the common axis of the shaft which they are press-fitted or shrink-fitted on.
Abstract:
An apparatus for treating horticultural products (A), which comprises in series at least: a first station (10), which comprises first elements (11) for the individual handling of respective horticultural products (A), and at least one vision system (12), for the acquisition of information related to at least one parameter of interest of each horticultural product (A); a second station (20), which comprises second elements (21) for the individual handling of respective horticultural products (A) and at least one device for weighing each horticultural product (A) in transit, and a third station (30), which comprises third elements (31) for the individual handling of respective horticultural products (A) and means (32) for selective conveyance of each horticultural product (A) in transit toward one of at least two collection areas, for the sorting of the horticultural products (A) into at least two corresponding homogeneous subgroups as a function of the information acquired by the vision system (12) and/or by the weighing device. The first elements (11), the second elements (21) and the third elements (31) are offset along two respective laterally adjacent trajectories (B) for the advancement of the horticultural products (A); in each station (10, 20, 30), and due to the offset, each element (11, 21, 31), movable along one of the trajectories (B), is misaligned transversely with respect to the corresponding elements (11, 21, 31), which can move along the other one of the trajectories (B).
Abstract:
Apparatus for selecting horticultural products, comprising an intake section (2) leading to at least one passage lane (4) defined by a pair of mutually close stems (5a, 5b) which are supported rotatably by a support and movement assembly (6) and are interposed longitudinally between the intake section (2) and a discharge section (7); between the pair of stems (5a, 5b), kept inclined downward from the intake section (2) to the discharge section (7), there is a longitudinal slot (8) that can be crossed exclusively by debris and horticultural products having dimensions that are smaller than the width of the slot (8); the assembly (6) comprises a drive unit (9) meshing with an end portion of each stem (5a, 5b) proximate to the intake section (2) and elements (10a, 10b) for the free support of an end portion of each stem (5a, 5b) proximate to the discharge section (7).
Abstract:
An assembly for handling fruit and vegetable products, which comprises first containment units (2a) for fruit and vegetable products (A) that can move along a first conveyance and/or control line (3a); the assembly (1) further comprises second containment units (2b) for horticultural products (A) that can move along a second conveyance and/or control line (3b), which is laterally adjacent and proximate to the first line (3a); the assembly comprises a plurality of means for transferring the horticultural products (A); such means are distributed at least along a part of the first line (3 a) and are selectively actuatable by an electronic management and control unit, for the transfer of each product (A) from a first unit (2a) to a respective second unit (2b) in a portion chosen from a plurality of different portions of the first line (3a), upon the occurrence of a predefined condition of mutual alignment between the horticultural product (A) to be transferred, which is conveyed by the first unit (2a), and a second unit (2b).
Abstract:
Method for the transportation and weighting of each of a continuous succession of agricultural products comprising a singling device with a plurality of pockets linearly arranged and on a rectilinear motion in translation along a parallel direction to the alignment line of the pockets, wherein the products are grasped in a drawing station by means of a first transferring means provided with gripping devices (grippers) opening downside and transferred to a release station wherein they are placed onto a second transferring means, wherein said gripping devices grasp in succession the products arranged on said singling device and wherein during the transportation onto the first transferring said products are singly weighed; said gripping means and the respective products are subjected to, in said first transferring means, a translation and to sequential and ordered distribution along two or more distinct and parallel alignment axes; said second transferring means comprises a plurality of movable conveyors parallel one to the other, aligned onto the respective vertical plane with respective alignment axes, and provided with a plurality of containers and open at the top; the motion of said grippers and of said containers is such that to a same gripping device is associated a corresponding one of said containers, so that each gripping device releases the respective product onto a respective one of said containers.
Abstract:
Apparatus for the separation of agricultural or vegetable product, with a fixed structure having two parallel horizontal side members, a plurality of cutting modules equipped with a common rotating shaft having a plurality of rotating blades in fixed position along its length, said shafts being parallel to each other and mounted above conveying means suitable to carry the products placed thereon toward said rotating blades, a plurality of positioning ramps mounted in a position corresponding to a respective rotating blade and having a shape elongated in the direction of movement of said conveying means and almost flattened and oriented vertically, the elongate upper edge of which is oriented downward toward said conveying means with an inclination such that the height of said edges increases in the feeding direction of the conveying means, so that the clusters of products placed on said conveying means are carried toward said ramps, the respective upper edge of which determines the point of intersection of the respective blade with the stems of each cluster carried under the blade, wherein: - said conveying means include a table formed by a plurality of parallel grooves substantially orthogonal to said rotating shafts and reciprocally separated by respective raised portions; - said table moves in a direction parallel to said grooves; - said ramps are arranged in positions corresponding to said respective grooves, - and the projection of each of said ramps with respect to one of said groove is aligned with the same groove. According to the invention, manoeuvring means are arranged, designed to rotate an auxiliary shaft around its centre of rotation so that said upper edges and the tips of the respective ramps are rotated so as to cause the rotational lifting of said ramps by a predetermined angle.
Abstract:
Apparatus for opening in an automatic mode and in a continuous sequence the closed side walls of a plurality of crates, preferably for horticultural products, and preferably lying vertically one on another so as to form a relative first stack, suitable for carrying out the operations for carrying a first stack to a first arrival and loading station, lifting vertically said two pairs of opposite walls, transferring said open crates to a second stack, and subsequently carrying said stack outside the apparatus; the apparatus includes command and control means suitable to store the parameters that correspond to a plurality of types of crates having different dimensions, enter into said command and control means a coded instruction representative of a particular type of crate, and automatically make it so that said command and control means process and transmit to the controls, structures, operating bodies, devices, actuators present in the apparatus appropriate signals that are suitable to determine therein the correct operation corresponding to the type of selected crate.
Abstract:
Apparatus for filling containers with horticultural products, built and operating in such a manner as to utilize at least one horizontal transporting conveyor (1), a moving structure arranged at the output edge of said conveyor and provided with displacement and engagement means to incline said containers, through a partial rotation, from a first inclined position with respect to the horizontal plane, in which the mouth of the container remains contiguous with the output edge of the conveyor, and subsequent working positions in which the same container moves progressively through less inclined positions until it returns to the normal horizontal position. Said mobile structure includes a U-shaped oscillating frame (10) whose open side is designed to position itself in front of said output edge of the transporting conveyor (1), and blocking means being e.g. typically shaped jaws (12,13), supported by said oscillating frame (10) and suitable to selectively engage and disengage the outer perimeter of the container (20), so as to initially cause the container to rotate to a predetermined inclination, and subsequently return in reverse rotation to the normal position, in which the container is released and removed.
Abstract:
Apparatus for the separation of agricultural or vegetable product, with a fixed structure having two parallel horizontal side members, a plurality of cutting modules equipped with a common rotating shaft (32A, 32B, 32C,...) having a plurality of rotating blades (11,12,13,...) in fixed position along its length, said shafts (32A, 32B, 32C,...) being parallel to each other and mounted above conveying means suitable to carry the products placed thereon toward said rotating blades (11,12,13,...), a plurality of positioning ramps (11-1,12-1,13-1,...) mounted in a position corresponding to a respective rotating blade (11,12,13,...) and having a shape elongated in the direction of movement of said conveying means and almost flattened and oriented vertically, the elongate upper edge of which is oriented downward toward said conveying means with an inclination such that the height of said edges increases in the feeding direction of the conveying means, so that the clusters of products placed on said conveying means are carried toward said ramps (11-1, 12-1,13-1,...), the respective upper edge of which determines the point of intersection of the respective blade (11,12,13,...) with the stems of each cluster carried under the blade, wherein: said conveying means include a table formed by a plurality of parallel grooves substantially orthogonal to said rotating shafts (32A, 32B, 32C,...) and reciprocally separated by respective raised portions; said table moves in a direction parallel to said grooves; said ramps are arranged in positions corresponding to said respective grooves.
Abstract:
Method to fully automatically open the two pairs of opposed reclined walls of a plurality of crates, preferably for agricultural products, vertically laid one on the other so as to form a respective first stack and which comprises the phases of carrying the first stack to a first working station, of vertically raising two opposed walls of the upper crate by respective rotation with respect to the bottom plane, of vertically raising the other two front walls by respective rotation, blocking of at least one of the side walls to an adjacent side wall, of horizontally transferring the open crate into a position which enables to lower it and lay it onto an adjacent second stack formed by the already opened crates. The working station is provided with means which enable to open first two opposed walls through the pressure of two extractable means pushing against the rims or the side edges of said two walls and which are rotated so as to drag these walls into rotation, hence opening them. The other two walls are opened by two "hand-shaped" means which insert below the inner rims of the lowered walls and which are rotated around respective axes so as these "hands" raise and open the relative walls. Only one device enters inside the opened crate and is able to both block the adjacent walls and to lift the opened crate and to move it onto a different stack.